Transcript for 'Friends' Star Says He Was 'Pretty Good at Hiding' Addiction

Coming up next our exclusive interview with matthew perry. Abc's cecilia vega sat down with him to discuss a new project of him, perry house and whether there might ever be a "friends" reunion. Dear god, this parachute is a knapsack. Reporter: Chandler bing was one of the most famous sitcom characters ever on one of the most popular television shows in history. I've had a very long, hard day. Reporter: But what we didn't know at the time was that this friend had a secret. Mostly it was drinking, yeah, and opiates. Reporter: Did people on the set know? Did your cast members know? I think I was pretty good at hiding it, you know, but, you know, eventually people were aware. Reporter: There were multiple trips to rehab, his weight went up and down. There were so many tabloid rumors. Wi when you see those pictures what goes through your mind? I honestly recoil. Oh, I do that. It's scary to look at that. I was a sick guy. Reporter: How do you recover going through with all of that out there? It actually ultimately helped me because I couldn't just walk into a bar. Everybody in the bar would go, you can't do that. I just read that you can't do. You can't. You can't. Reporter: Matthew perry is laughing now. He's sober and has a new passion helping other addicts find a path to recovery. If you're thrown from treatment to the outside world sometimes it's too bumpy. Reporter: This house perched high on a hill is called perry's house. He used to live here but he donated it and today it is a sober living home where men transition from rehab into the real world. Everyone, this is chandler. Reporter: Perry who knows a thing or two about "friends" credits this friend with saving his life. Addiction specialist earl hightower. You're smiling. Well, I know how hard it is to get from where a lot of us start to where he lives now. In here. Who he is as a man so, of course, I smile. I mean, I'm very proud of him. Reporter: Earlier this month they even went to the white house together receiving a top honor for their work on drug courts. Champions of recovery which is a very surreal thing. We're award-winning alcoholics. Reporter: For perry, it has been a long journey and with this recent appearance on "ellen," so many are now wondering if the road ahead might include afriends" reunion. I don't think so. It would be terrible to do something and have it not be good because, you know, it was so terrific and if we did a movie or we did -- and it sucked, it would blemish it. Reporter: Okay, so maybe no "friends" pa, but perry does have something else coming up on the calendar. Jen's wedding. Yes. Are you going? Yes. Are you in it? I don't know. Yes, I'm sure. When is it? I don't know. That's why I'm asking you. Yes, I would assume I'll be there. Reporter: We had to ask, but he's such a good friend, he's not budging. For "good morning america," cecilia vega, abc news, los angeles.

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